Seattle Animal Shelter news and events

Have your kids been begging for a pet of their own? If you’re ready to give in, but are still afraid you don’t have the space for a dog or maybe someone in your household is allergic to cats, the Seattle Animal Shelter has the perfect solution: start small.

Come on down to the shelter on Saturday, April 19, for Cool City Pets, an adoption event highlighting small animals looking for their forever homes. From 1-3 p.m., potential adopters can meet the many small animals available for adoption from the shelter, including: rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, birds, reptiles, ferrets, mice and more.

Volunteer small-animal specialists will be on hand to help adopters find the right pet for them. They provide information about each animal’s characteristics and needs, demonstrate basic care and handling skills, and answer questions. The Seattle Animal Shelter features Cool City Pets the third Saturday of every month.

All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Animals may be adopted by adults only. Adopters must be prepared to provide proper housing, food, water, toys and other materials necessary for the care and good health of the animal. The adoption fee for small animals ranges from $15-$40.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is located at 2061 15th Ave. W, about a mile south of the Ballard Bridge. If you would like more information or directions, please call 206-386-7387 (PETS) or visit the shelter’s website at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

The shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon-6 p.m. for adoptions and for licensing.

The Seattle Animal Shelter reserves the right to approve or deny any animal adoptions and limits the number of small animal adoptions to no more than three per household.

The Seattle Animal Shelter announced today that it is seeking donations of new dog and cat supplies to assist the victims of the recent landslide in Oso, Washington. All donations received through Sunday, April 6, will be delivered to local authorities in coordination with the Everett Animal Shelter.

“This is just a small way for residents in the Puget Sound region to help out our neighbors to the north,” says Seattle Animal Shelter Director Don Jordan. “By providing a local drop off point here in Seattle, we hope to make it easier for people in Seattle and King County to donate, as well as making it easier for responders by reducing the amount of unnecessary traffic to the disaster area near Oso.”

The shelter is collecting dog and cat supplies to assist pet owners who have been displaced and may be taking up temporary residence with family, friends or in hotels. Please donate only new and unused items. Local authorities have indicated the most needed items include:

New medium and large animal crates

New collars and leashes

New dog and cat beds

New potty pads

New dog and cat toys

The Seattle Animal Shelter is accepting donations through Sunday, April 6. Once collected, the shelter will coordinate with the local authorities in Snohomish County and make arrangements to get these donations to pet owners in need.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is located at 2061 15th Ave. W., approximately one mile south of the Ballard Bridge. The shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., but donations may be dropped off at any time in the designated donations area outside the entrance to the shelter.

With more pets accidentally escaping from homes and yards as people begin to open doors and windows to let in the fresh springtime air, the Seattle Animal Shelter is taking this timely opportunity to remind Seattle pet owners that the best insurance policy to finding and returning your pet is a Seattle pet license. And to sweeten the deal, anyone purchasing or renewing a two-year license during the month of April will be eligible to receive a free collar or leash by visiting the Seattle Animal Shelter.

“If your pet is wearing its license and it shows up at the shelter, we will notify you that your pet is here. Or if one of our staff finds your licensed pet roaming free, we’ll return it to you instead of bringing it to the shelter. And, often an injured animal wearing a license is more likely to receive veterinary care if you’re not around,” says Seattle Animal Shelter Director Don Jordan.

“We hope this incentive of offering free collars and leashes will encourage more pet owners to purchase licenses for their pets, or bring their pets’ licenses up to date,” adds Don Jordan. “It’s also the right thing to do, as it helps reunite lost pets with their families and the revenue supports the lifesaving work of the Seattle Animal Shelter.”

Seattle Municipal Code Section 9.25.050 requires that all cats, dogs, miniature goats and potbellied pigs be licensed. Failure to license or renew your pet’s license could result in a $125 citation. All Seattle residents will be receiving a pet license reminder in the mail next week.

About 25 percent of Seattle pet owners fail to renew their licenses each year. “While we know this is partially a result of pets dying, disappearing, moving out of Seattle or being given away, many pet owners simply forget to renew their pet licenses,” Jordan says. “This mass mailer offers a reminder and should eliminate the fear of receiving a citation if caught without a valid pet license.”

The Seattle Animal Shelter offers many convenient options for renewing or purchasing a new pet license: you can do it online or in person at any one of the City of Seattle Neighborhood Service Centers, at a number of vet clinics, retail and pet care services, and of course at the shelter, 2061 15th Ave. W., Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. For a full listing of sales locations or to renew or purchase a license online, visit http://www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter/license/purchase-or-renew-a-license.

Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Jean Godden joined Seattle Animal Shelter staff, volunteers and donors today to “cut the leash” on a major renovation of the shelter’s dog kennel area, which will offer a less-stressful environment for lost, abandoned and abused dogs. The nonprofit Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation and private donors to the Shelter generously provided the majority of project funding.

“The welfare of the animals in the care of the city is a priority,” said Murray. “This state-of-the art update to the canine suites will improve the care of these dogs, especially those which are victims of cruelty. The new kennels offer a quieter, safer environment which will put them on the path to finding a loving home.”

The Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF) contributed $80,000 to the $160,000 capital improvement project. Other funding sources include $68,000 from the shelter’s Help the Animals Fund and $12,000 in city facility maintenance funding.

“This project is an excellent example of what we can accomplish through public-private partnerships,” said Godden. “Seattle is fortunate to have so many generous animal lovers who care enough to donate their time or money, or both, to ensure the orphaned animals in this city are treated humanely. I extend my thanks to the many volunteers and donors who support the life-saving work of our city’s shelter.”

The construction project involved replacing the outdated chain link fencing of the kennels with modern glass enclosures, resurfacing the floors and upgrading the troughs (see before photos below). Managed by the City of Seattle’s Department of Finance Administrative Services, SHKS Architects designed the project and Newton Building and Development, LLC, removed the old fencing and installed the new enclosures. The floors were resurfaced by Armorclad Floors. Finally, the noise baffles were replaced with new material – valued at approximately $20,000 – all generously donated by local acoustics firm, Forrest Sound Products.

“These state-of-the-art enclosures include visual barriers that will greatly reduce the noise in the kennel area, and more importantly, the stress dogs can experience when they can see other animals through the chain link,” says Shelter Director Don Jordan. “I cannot thank the foundation and its supporters enough for their compassion and their contributions.”

In addition to foundation donors, the shelter’s foster families played an important role in the success of this project. During construction, space at the shelter became very tight, as the dogs were relocated out of the kennel area and into the spaces normally occupied by cats, rabbits, rodents and reptiles. The shelter put out a call for foster parents to help alleviate the overcrowding during the project. In all, 187 families stepped up to welcome animals into their homes temporarily.

Foster parents are a critical part of the program at the shelter, as it relies on volunteers to provide temporary foster care in their homes to rehabilitate and nurture sick, injured and immature animals or to just give adoptable animals a break from the shelter environment. The foster care program is quite simple: you provide food and a temporary home; the Seattle Animal Shelter will provide any necessary veterinary care, training support and adoption marketing.

Interested in welcoming a dog, cat or critter into your home? The Seattle Animal Shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. It is located at 2061 15th Ave. W. The phone number is 206-386-7387 (PETS). Animals available for adoption can be viewed online at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

Have your kids been begging for a pet of their own? If you’re ready to give in, but are still afraid you don’t have the space for a dog or maybe someone in your household is allergic to cats, the Seattle Animal Shelter has the perfect solution: start small.

Come on down to the shelter on Saturday, March 15, for Cool City Pets, an adoption event highlighting small animals looking for their forever homes. From 1-3 p.m., potential adopters can meet the many small animals available for adoption from the shelter, including: rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, birds, reptiles, ferrets, mice and more.

Volunteer small-animal specialists will be on hand to help adopters find the right pet for them. They provide information about each animal’s characteristics and needs, demonstrate basic care and handling skills, and answer questions. The Seattle Animal Shelter features Cool City Pets the third Saturday of every month.

All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Animals may be adopted by adults only. Adopters must be prepared to provide proper housing, food, water, toys and other materials necessary for the care and good health of the animal. The adoption fee for small animals ranges from $15-$40.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is located at 2061 15th Ave. W, about a mile south of the Ballard Bridge. If you would like more information or directions, please call 206-386-7387 (PETS) or visit the shelter’s website at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

The shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon-6 p.m. for adoptions and for licensing.

The Seattle Animal Shelter reserves the right to approve or deny any animal adoptions and limits the number of small animal adoptions to no more than three per household.

Come on down to the Seattle Animal Shelter this Saturday, March 8, 2014, for the Fabulous Felines adoptathon, held this month in the shelter’s conference room, 2061 15th Ave. W., Seattle. The event runs from noon to 3 p.m. and features numerous kittens and cats of different breeds. Cats available at this event have been living with foster parents, who will be on hand to share information about the personality and habits of the cats with potential adopters, helping to make a perfect match!

“With our monthly neighborhood adoptathons, we hope to continue to spread the word about the joys and value of adopting shelter pets and saving lives. If you have room in your home and your heart for an orphaned animal, this is a great opportunity to come and see some of the wonderful pets available from our foster-care parents,” says Don Jordan, Seattle Animal Shelter director.

The Seattle Animal Shelter has a foster-care program to rehabilitate sick and immature dogs and cats. Donations from the city’s “Help the Animals Fund” pay for veterinary care for these animals while they are being fostered.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. It is located at 2061 15th Ave. W. The phone number is 206-386-7387 (PETS). Animals available for adoption can be viewed online athttp://www.seattleanimalshelter.org

If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent for cats and kittens from the Seattle Animal Shelter, plan to attend a free orientation session, offered the first Sunday of each month – this month on March 2 – from 2-3:30 p.m. The session will be held in the upper level conference room of the shelter, located at 2061 15th Ave. W.

Please sign up for the orientation by emailing sasfostercatsorientation@gmail.comno later than 5 p.m., Saturday, March 1. Once you have signed up, you will receive an orientation packet to bring with you. Orientation will be cancelled if there are no sign-ups.

The Seattle Animal Shelter relies on volunteers to provide temporary foster care in their homes to rehabilitate and nurture sick, injured and immature cats and kittens or to just give adoptable cats a break from the shelter environment.

“Volunteers have told us this is a perfect project for the whole family and provides an opportunity for children to learn about the joys and responsibilities of having an animal without making a long-term commitment,” says Shelter Director Don Jordan. “The ultimate beneficiaries are the pets who are nurtured by their foster families, and the families who adopt them.”

Jordan says the foster care program is quite simple. You provide food and a temporary home; the Seattle Animal Shelter will provide any necessary veterinary care. The shelter’s “Help the Animals Fund” subsidizes the costs associated with the foster care program including all pre-approved vet care.

If you attend an orientation session you are under no obligation to foster an animal. The orientations are just the first step in the process. Each prospective foster parent is provided with a foster-care manual and a “case manager” who provides advice and answers questions.

Have your kids been begging for a pet of their own? If you’re ready to give in, but are still afraid you don’t have the space for a dog or maybe someone in your household is allergic to cats, the Seattle Animal Shelter has the perfect solution: start small.

Come on down to the shelter on Saturday, Feb. 15, for Cool City Pets, an adoption event highlighting small animals looking for their forever homes. From 1-3 p.m., potential adopters can meet the many small animals available for adoption from the shelter, including: rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, birds, reptiles, ferrets, mice and more.

Volunteer small-animal specialists will be on hand to help adopters find the right pet for them. They provide information about each animal’s characteristics and needs, demonstrate basic care and handling skills, and answer questions. The Seattle Animal Shelter features Cool City Pets the third Saturday of every month.

All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Animals may be adopted by adults only. Adopters must be prepared to provide proper housing, food, water, toys and other materials necessary for the care and good health of the animal. The adoption fee for small animals ranges from $15-$40.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is located at 2061 15th Ave. W, about a mile south of the Ballard Bridge. If you would like more information or directions, please call 206-386-7387 (PETS) or visit the shelter’s website at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

The shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon-6 p.m. for adoptions and for licensing.

The Seattle Animal Shelter reserves the right to approve or deny any animal adoptions and limits the number of small animal adoptions to no more than three per household.

To commemorate Feb. 25, 2014, as “World Spay Day,” the Seattle Animal Shelter’s Spay and Neuter Clinic is offering FREE spay/neuter packages to area pets scheduled for surgery Feb. 24-28, 2014. Microchips and vaccinations will also be offered FREE for animals having surgery on those days. Space is limited; to schedule an appointment, call (206) 386-4260.

These surgeries usually cost between $120-$155 for dogs, $85-$90 for cats and $75 for rabbits. Microchips cost $30 and vaccinations run $10 each so this is a real bargain. While there is no residency requirement to take advantage of this special offer, pets of Seattle residents must be currently licensed or a license can be purchased on the day of the appointment. For altered animals, a one-year license is $20 for cats/$27 for dogs, or a two-year license is $27 for cats/$37 for dogs.

Dr. Zoulas also recommends having your pet – dog, cat or rabbit – microchipped while it is at the clinic for surgery, as microchips are invaluable for the peace of mind provided by this permanent means of identification should your pet ever become lost or stolen.

Dogs, cats and rabbits can be spayed or neutered at four months of age or older. Dr. Zoulas and her team are really excited to again extend their World Spay Day promotion to include rabbits, the third most-popular pet in Seattle. While Clinic staff have been providing spay and neuter services to the rabbits adopted from the shelter for nearly 16 years, they only began providing this service to the public last year. Clinic staff are pleased with the enthusiastic response of rabbit owners to this program.

This year’s special offer of the FREE spay/neuter, microchip and vaccination packages is made possible by the city’s “Pet Population Control Fund,” which provides financial assistance year-round to pet owners who cannot afford the cost of spaying and neutering.

“Spay Day” is an international campaign of The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International. During the month of February, animal shelters and animal welfare agencies throughout the world join forces to promote the spaying and neutering of pets as the most effective and humane way to decrease the euthanasia of homeless animals in shelters throughout the world.

There are several ways you can celebrate Spay Day in February and throughout the year:

Donate to the “Pet Population Control Fund” at the Seattle Animal Shelter.

Turn in a litter. As part of an ongoing Seattle Animal Shelter program, anyone who turns in a litter of puppies or kittens to the shelter, is eligible for a free spay or neuter for the parent animal(s). In return, the shelter guarantees the adoption of these kittens and puppies, if they are adoptable.

Talk to your friends, neighbors and family about getting their pets spayed or neutered. Year-round the Seattle Animal Shelter’s Spay and Neuter Clinic is able to help those in need with discounted or free spay/neuter surgeries.

For more information about Spay Day Seattle, to make a donation to the Pet Population Control Fund, or to learn more about other Seattle Animal Shelter services, call (206) 386-7387 (PETS), or visit www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

The Seattle Animal Shelter will host a cat adoptathon on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, at the Pioneer Pet, located at 87 ½ S. Washington St., Seattle. The event runs from noon to 3 p.m. and features numerous kittens and cats of different breeds. Cats available at this event have been living with foster parents, who are available at the event to share information about the personality and habits of the cats with potential adopters, helping to make a perfect match!

“With our monthly neighborhood adoptathons, we hope to continue to spread the word about the joys and value of adopting shelter pets and saving lives. If you have room in your home and your heart for an orphaned animal, this is a great opportunity to come and see some of the wonderful pets available from our foster-care parents,” says Don Jordan, Seattle Animal Shelter director.

The Seattle Animal Shelter has a foster-care program to rehabilitate sick and immature dogs and cats. Donations from the city’s “Help the Animals Fund” pay for veterinary care for these animals while they are being fostered.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. It is located at 2061 15th Ave. W. The phone number is 206-386-7387 (PETS). Animals available for adoption can be viewed online athttp://www.seattleanimalshelter.org